Method and system for file management in a mobile network

ABSTRACT

The invention is concerned with a system for file management in a mobile network. The network has one or more mobile terminals having a memory with saved file information and a central database containing information to be updated. The system has means for requesting a change in the files of the mobile terminal(s) and means for updating new information in the files of the mobile terminal(s). A request for a change to be made in the files of the mobile terminal is sent to the central database which updates its information on the basis of the request. The new information is then sent from the central database to the files of the defined mobile terminals.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention is concerned with a method and system for file managementin a mobile network, especially for updating SIM files.

BACKGROUND ART

The Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) is a standard fordigital wireless communications. GSM has much more services than justvoice telephony. Additional services allow nowadays a great flexibilityin where and when GSM phones are used. Today's second-generation GSMnetworks deliver high quality and secure mobile voice and data services(such as SMS/Text Messaging) with full roaming capabilities across theworld.

The development of GSM Networks and terminals to support more advanceddata bearer technologies has allowed for the introduction of newexciting data services. These technologies allow for a greater bandwidthand more capable execution environment, so permitting for thedevelopment of mobile applications. The world has become increasinglycomputer centric and computer applications are now used for a number oftasks such as communications, financial management, informationretrieval, entertainment and game playing. It is a natural progressionfor the user to expect these applications to be available to them ontheir mobile terminal.

More information about GSM services can be found onhttp://www.gsmworld.com/technology/applications/.

In mobile networks people can be contacted by calling to their mobiletelephone number or by sending to that number a so called short messageby e.g. making use of the Short Message Service (SMS). Thepoint-to-point Short message service (SMS) provides a means of sendingmessages of limited size to and from GSM mobiles. Detailed informationcan be found in the ETSI standard GSM 03.40 Version 5.3.0.

The Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) inside GSM phones is a smart chipthat was originally designed as a secure way to connect individualsubscribers to the network. There is an on-going evolution of the SIMinto a standardized and secure application platform for GSM and nextgeneration networks.

ETSI (the European Telecommunications Standards Institute) is anot-for-profit organization whose mission is to produce thetelecommunications standards for use throughout Europe and beyond. TheETSI TS 100 977 V8.2.0 (2000-05) standard describes the interfacebetween the SIM and the Mobile Equipment (ME) within the digitalcellular telecommunications system.

The logical structure of files in SIM is hierarchical and there arethree types of files, i.e. Elementary Files (EF), Dedicated Files (DF)and Master Files (MF), the last mentioned ones being highest in thehierarchy.

EF_(ADN) is an elementary file containing Abbreviated Dialing Numbers(ADN) and/or Supplementary Service Control Strings (SSC). In addition,it contains identifiers of associated network/bearer capabilities andidentifiers of extension records. It may also contain an associatedalpha-tagging.

The EF_(ADN) file is colloquially called the “phone book” file since themobile phone user use it for fetching the right telephone number by namewhen trying to contact someone by calling or sending an SMS.

There are often difficulties in the communication as contact cannot beestablished due to unavailable or wrong contact information, absentpeople or the contact is tried to establish at a totally wrong occasion.

SyncML, described in http://www.syncml.org/technology.html is oneattempt to try to solve this problem. It defines databases forsynchronizing central database information with information on users'devices and vice versa. The SyncML solution, however, requires mobileterminals that support the SyncML protocol, which is a disadvantage,since most mobile stations do not have this support yet.

THE OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is a system and a method with which theabove problems are solved by using existing networks for presentingup-to-date contact information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The system of the invention for file management in a mobile network,comprising One or more mobile terminals having a memory with saved fileinformation and a central database containing information to be updated,is mainly characterized in that the system comprises means forrequesting a change in the files of the mobile terminal(s), and meansfor updating new information in the files of the mobile terminal(s).

In the method of the invention a request for a change to be made in thefiles of the mobile terminal is sent to the central database, whichupdates its information on the basis of said request. The newinformation is then sent from the central database to the files ofdefined mobile terminals.

The central database has information about to which mobile terminals thenew information shall be sent.

The file information in the invention consists of contact information,which is used as a phone book, but in addition to the ordinary phonebook information in the EF_(ADN) file, the contact information in theinvention further comprises additional information such as e.g.information about if a given person is busy, in a meeting, in or out ofthe office, free to call to, at home etc. It could even include thee-mail address, the fax number or other such additional information. Theinformation and technical implementation could vary according toapplication and the purpose in which the invention is used.

For company use, the implementation could be to connect the company'sphysical access control system to the contact information in the mobilephone. Many companies have an access control system, which is used toregister when people are coming in and going out. The access controlsystem can in the invention be connected to the file information on SIM(the “phonebook”) having an interface working as said means forrequesting a change in the phonebook in real time in order to updatephonebook data. In the central database, there is an internal databasecontaining phonebooks of SIMs, which are thus updated whenever certaindata in the central database phonebook changes. Information aboutwhether a person is in the office or not could then be available in thephone book of the mobile terminal of selected persons at any time.Similarly, calendar or location information could be integrated with thephonebook.

Said interface for the updating data on SIMs is in practice to the GSMnetwork. This interface, which is an SMS gateway, can also be providedby the operator. In such a configuration, the SMS gateway can supportcentral phonebooks of e.g. many companies.

A further implementation possibility is to make it possible for users toupdate their whereabouts by means of a service on their mobile terminal,e.g. for not being contacted during a concert or an important customermeeting. With a mobile service, the users could also Inform the timewhen they are available or any other information they would like to tellthe calling party. Such a service would be useful not only for companiesbut also for other subscribers. Children for example, could have aservice on their mobile phone, with which they can inform theirwhereabouts to their parents. The mobile terminal can thus work as anotice board at home.

The advanced phonebook services provided by the invention can make theway people communicate more efficient. Before contacting anyone peoplecan check the preferred communication method, and whether the person ispresent or not. Users will see the latest contact information whenevertrying to contact someone with the mobile phone. Codes can be usedinstead of text for making the contact information easily readable on amobile phone, e.g. the code “+” could be used for a person, who ispresent, and the code “−” for a person who is absent.

Phonebooks on the SIMs can in this way contain the newest information.Whenever a user selects a person to be contacted he/she will see notonly the name and phone number but also additional contact information.

The invention can easily be implemented in existing mobile terminals ande.g. GSM standards without the need for special protocols. Thus, it canbe used in all GSM phones. In the invention, the technical limitationsof existing mobile phones, as well as of the communication channels havebeen taken into consideration making commercial application instantlyfeasible.

A possible problem with the Invention might be a very heavy traffic flowto a given mobile phone, if SIM file updates take place often. In someembodiments of the invention, it is, therefore possible to restrict thenumber of updates by e.g. restricting them to given persons only, orgiven time periods, such as for the time of a very busy project, or tointerrupt the service during vacations, travels, weekends etc.

In the following, the invention will be described by means of someexemplified embodiments to the details of which the invention is notrestricted.

FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a presentation of the standardized Elementary File (EF) in theSubscriber Identity Module (SIM) containing Abbreviated Dialing Numbers(ADN) and/or Supplementary Service Control strings (SSC)

FIG. 2 is an example of an embodiment of the invention implemented inthe standardized EF_(ADN) of FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is an architecture view of a network in which the invention canbe implemented

FIG. 4 is a signaling diagram of a first embodiment of the method of theinvention

FIG. 5 is a signaling diagram of a second embodiment of the method ofthe invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a presentation of a standardized Elementary File (EF) in theSubscriber Identity Module (SIM) for a GSM session.

The ETSI TS 100 977 V8.2.0 (2000-05) standard defines the requirementsfor the physical characteristics of the SIM, the electrical signals andthe transmission protocols, the model for the logical structure of SIM,the security features, the interface functions, the commands, theapplication protocol and the contents of the files required for the GSMapplications.

The logical structure of files in SIM is hierarchical and there arethree types of files, i.e. Elementary Files (EF), Dedicated Files (DF)and Master Files (MF), the last mentioned ones being highest in thehierarchy. The files are administrative or application specific. Theycontain a header part and, with respect to the elementary files, also abody part containing data. A file ID used to identify each file consistsof two bytes and shall be coded in hexadecimal notation. The type of thefile is identified by the first byte, and for example “6F” means that itis an elementary file under the 1^(st) level Dedicated File.

The Elementary Files (EF) for the GSM session defining accessconditions, data items and coding. A data Item is a part of an EF, whichrepresents a complete logical entity, e.g. the alpha tag in an EFADNrecord. EFs are mandatory (M) or optional (O). The file size of anoptional EF may be zero. All EFs with a file size greater than zeroshall contain all mandatory items.

EF_(ADN) is an elementary file containing Abbreviated Dialing Numbers(ADN) and/or Supplementary Service Control strings (SSC). In addition itcontains identifiers of associated network/bearer capabilities andidentifiers of extension records. It may also contain an associatedalpha-tagging.

The EF_(ADN) file is colloquially called the “phone book” file since themobile phone user use it for fetching the right telephone number by namewhen trying to contact someone by calling or sending an SMS.

With respect to Elementary Files, three different structures are used,namely EFs with a transparent structure, linear fixed EFs and cyclicEFs.

An EF with a linear fixed structure consists of a sequence of recordsall having the same (fixed) length. The length of a record, as well asthis value multiplied by the number of records, are indicated in theheader field of the EF. The maximum length of an EF_(ADN) file isaccording to the field represented in FIG. 1 by reference number 4, X+14bytes, each byte consisting of 8 bits.

FIG. 1 also defines the access conditions, data items and coding of anEF_(ADN). A data item is a part of an EF, which represents a completelogical entity. In FIG. 1, the data items of the Elementary File,EF_(ADN), are described by means of a field presentation. Thus field 1is the identifier of a given SIM file, i.e. describes what SIM file itis question about, which in FIG. 1 is the EF_(ADN) file coded as 6F3Aand shown by reference number 1 in FIG. 1.

The field represented by reference number 2 shows that the file is alinear fixed EF file. According to the field represented by referencenumber 3, the EF_(ADN) file is optional and the length of it may thus bezero. All EFs with a file size greater than zero shall contain allmandatory data items.

The field represented by reference number 5 indicates that the file canbe updated.

Every file has its own specific access condition for each command. Thereare different access condition levels, such as Always (=The action canbe performed without any restriction), Card Holder Verification 1 (CHV1)and Card Holder Verification 2 (CHV2) (=The action is possible if acorrect CHV1/CHV2 value already has been presented to SIM during thecurrent session, the CHV1/CHV2 enabled/disabled indicator is set to“disabled” or unblock CHV1/CHV2 has been successfully performed duringthe current session), ADM (=Allocation of these levels and therespective requirements for their fulfillment are the responsibility ofthe appropriate administrative authority) and Never (=The action cannotbe performed over the SIM/ME interface, but the SIM may perform theaction internally).

Different functions may act on the files on a SIM. It is mandatory forall SIM cards in accordance with standard ETSI TS 100 977 V8.2.0(2000-05) to support the functions Select, Status, Read Binary, UpdateBinary, Read Record, Update Record, Seek, Increase, Invalidate andRehabilitate.

As appears in FIG. 1, field 6, the functions Read (Record), Update(Record), Invalidate and Rehabilitate can be performed on the EF_(ADN)file, the functions having the access conditions CHV1, CHV1, CHV2 andCHV2, respectively. For example the Read Record function can only beperformed if the READ access condition for this EF is satisfied and soon with respect to the other functions.

Each record consists of a row of data items represented by fields 7 a-7f, the maximum length of each data item being indicated in column 8, thesum of which is X+14 bytes. Column 9 indicates whether the field isoptional or mandatory, column 10 describes the data item informationincluded in each row and column 11 defines the order of each data itemin one row.

Thus, each row contains as its first item an alpha identifier (indicatedin field 7 a in FIG. 1) according to column 10, such as a nameassociated with a given Abbreviated Dialing Number (ADN) indicated infield 7 d. Field 7 d can also contain a Supplementary Service Controlstring (SSC) consisting of e.g. a character string for an abbreviatedtransfer call code. Column 8 indicates the length of field 7 a to be Xbytes, column 9 that this data item is optional. Column 11 tells thatthis data item is the first item in a row represented by the X firstbytes. The value of X maybe from zero to 241 and depends on the settingsin the individual mobile terminals.

The second data item described in field 7 b informs the coding method,i.e. length of the BCD (Binary Coded Decimal) number and possible SSCcontent. Field 7 c describes the type of number (TON) and numbering planidentification (NPI). Field 7 d presents the dialing number associatedwith the alpha identifier in field 7 a or a possible transfer code fortransferring the call to another number. Field 7 e presents thecapability/configuration identifier containing associatedcapability/configuration parameters required for the call, and field 7 fis an extension 1 record identifier containing an associated calledparty subaddress or additional data.

According to column 9, all data items 7 b-7 f except the alphaidentifier 7 a are mandatory. In the invention it has found out that thealpha identifier field 7 a gives the possibility to add additionalinformation in it.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an embodiment of the SIM card of theinvention, wherein additional information has been included in the alphaidentifier field 7 a of the EF_(ADN) file. The content of the fieldsrepresented by reference numbers 1-6 and 7 b-7 f remain intact in theinvention compared to the standard EF_(ADN) file.

Field 7 a indicates that this is John Smith's telephone number, andminus (−) indicates that he is not available for the time being and willbe so until the time and date indicated, here 5 o'clock, 12 Dec., 2002.Of course other information can be informed and other ways to code thanthe minus (−) for absent in the example above.

FIG. 3 is an architecture view of a network in which the invention canbe implemented. When in the invention data in a central data base 12phone book is updated, the updated information is forwarded topre-selected SIM phone books 13 a, 13 b and 13 c and updated there, too.Information about to which mobile terminals the updated informationshall be forwarded to is in the central database 12. In the updating,standardized SIM toolkit commands for Remote File Management can be used(ETSI TS 101 181 V 8.3.0 (2000-08)).

The central data base 12 containing phone book data can be e.g. acompany's internal data base which is integrated with the phone book ofthe mobile phones of the persons working in the company. The centraldata base can in the invention also be the operators data base 12 bcontaining the phone book data of all subscribers or defined groups ofsubscribers.

The message from the central database 12 to the SIMs 13 a, 13 b and 13 care forwarded through a public network, such as Internet 14 with theTCP/IP protocol used in Internet. So that the message could be forwardedto the SIMs 13 a, 13 b and 13 c of the mobile phones 15 a, 15 b and 15 crespectively via the GSM network 16 it goes via an SMS-center 17,wherein the message is converted to an SMS message using the SS7protocol. The SMS gateway 20 is technically an optional component but inpractice it is used by many operators for administrative purposes fore.g. charging, routing and access control purposes.

The requests to the central database 12 for updating phone bookinformation can come from e.g. a company's physical access controlsystem 19 or via an SMS gateway 21 and SMS-center 23 from an employee'smobile phone 22. The SMS gateway 21 converts the message from the mobilephone 22 into the TCP/IP protocol so that it can be received by thecentral database 12.

The requests to the central database 12 b can come directly from anymobile phone (from 15 a in FIG. 3) in the GSM network but are updated bythe central database 12 b, which has the access information about who isentitled to send such messages and which has the information about towhich mobile phones 15 a, 15 b and 15 c and further to the SIMs 13 a, 13b and 13 c the updating information shall be sent. The signalsperforming the updating are explained in connection with FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 4 presents an example of a method embodiment of the invention, inwhich a company's access control system is connected to the contactinformation to be updated in a mobile phone.

The updating is initiated by a request signal 1 from the access controlsystem to a central database. The request signal is in this exampleassumed to be from a person with the name John Smith in accordance withFIG. 2. The information that John Smith wish to update is that he willbe absent until 2 o'clock 12 Dec., 2002. The message can be written e.g.in the form “2.00, 12.12.2002”. In the central database, there is aninternal database containing phonebooks of SIMs, which are thus updatedwhenever certain data in the central database phonebook changes.Therefore, after receiving the request, the central phone book updatesits data in step 2.

To update this information also in the SIMs, the central phone booksends updating information including information about to which mobilephones the information should be sent to via the internet (by using theTCP/IP protocol) to the SMS gateway in signal 3. The SMS gateway is nottechnically necessary, but important in practice, since it also handlese.g. charging and other administrative tasks. The update informationthen proceeds to the SMS center in signal 4, where it is converted to anSMS message using the SS7 standard format for sending it to selectedmobile phones (only one illustrated in FIG. 4) through the GSM networkin signal 5. The mobile phone sends the update information to its SIMcard in signal 6 and the SIM phone book is updated in step 7 in a waypresented in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 presents an example of a method embodiment of the invention, inwhich SIM phonebook files are updated from a mobile phone. In thisembodiment, a request to update SIM phonebook information is sent insignal 1 from a mobile phone with an SMS message to a local SMS-centerhandling all SMS messages in that area in the GSM network. The SMS-Cconverts the message and sends it in signal 2 with the TCP/IP protocolto the SMS-gateway usually handled by the operator and taking care ofcharging and other administrative tasks. The SMS gateway then sends therequest in signal 3 to a central SIM phonebook to be updated there atfirst. Thereafter the process exceeds as in FIG. 4.

1. A system for file management in a mobile network, comprising: amobile communication device having a memory with saved file informationand a central database containing information to be updated in the filesof the mobile communication device, the central database havinginformation about to which mobile communication devices the updatedinformation is sent, a physical access control system being connected tothe information to be updated in the mobile communication devices andfor requesting a change in the files of the mobile communication deviceand means for updating the new information in the files of the mobilecommunication device informed in the central database.
 2. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the mobile network is a Global System of MobileCommunication (GSM).
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the centraldatabase contains Subscriber Identity module (SIM) phonebooks ofsubscribers in an GSM network.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein theinformation to be updated consists of contact information.
 5. The systemof claim 1, wherein the memory is a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)with a standard EFADN file containing field information.
 6. The systemof claim 5 wherein the EFADN file in the SIM contains additional contactinformation, besides alpha identifier information of telephone numbers.7. The system of claim 6, wherein the additional contact information isembedded in an alpha identifier field of the EFADN file.
 8. The systemof claim 7 wherein the additional contact information is coded to ashort form to make the additional contact information suitable to beembedded.
 9. The system of claim 1 wherein the method further comprisesa SMS gateway performing charging and administrative tasks.
 10. Methodfor file management in a mobile network, comprising: providing one ormore mobile communication devices having a memory with saved fileinformation and a central database containing information to be updatedin the files of one or more mobile communication devices, a physicalaccess control system connected to the information to be updated in themobile communication devices, sending from the physical access controlsystem to the central database a request for a change to be made in thefiles of the mobile communication device, the central database updatinginformation of the central database on the basis of the request, andsending from the central database the new information to the files ofthe pre-determined mobile communication device defined in the centraldatabase.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein a request for a change tobe made in the files of a selected mobile communication device sent froma mobile communication device.